Training exercise for RNLI and Coastguards at Hunstanton and Sutton Bridge

Sea rescue volunteers but their skills to the test when they teamed up for a joint emergency exercise.

A fallen injured jet skier floating out to sea was one of the demanding scenarios lifeboat and coastguard teams carried out during a joint training exercise at Hunstanton on Sunday.

Hunstanton RNLI crew launched the Lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer took part, along with coastguard teams from the town and Sutton Bridge.

Coastguards tasked the lifeboat to find and recover a mannequin floating offshore in a stiff north-easterly wind, in which choppy seas reduced the crew's visibility.

But by using nearby cliffs as a vantage point, the coastguard team were able to see the simulated casualty using powerful binoculars.

They could then direct the lifeboat using a technique known as conning on to provide precise instructions to guide them to the mannequin.

After three successful recovery attempts thanks to the eyes on the cliff top, the lifeboat returned to station with the casualty, who was then handed over to the coastguards to carry out casualty care in the boathouse.

Along the beach, hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer was tasked on a mud rescue simulation, with its crew and coastguards taking turns at extracting, recovering and caring for the casualty.

Hunstanton RNLI lifeboat operations manager Mike Gould said: “It was a great joint exercise in multi-agency communication and collaboration.”